The 5-Blade Guide to Moisture Control

October 16, 2017

When most people think of HVLS fans, the first thing that comes to mind is temperature control. And while keeping spaces cool and comfortable is vitally important for your employees and customers (or even livestock and horses if you happen to manage those types of environments), so too is controlling moisture.

So, the key to controlling moisture in any environment — ranging from barns to breweries and whether due to dripping condensation or chronically wet floors — is to keep your air moving.

To help provide you some guidance on these types of issues, we’ve created the following “5-Blade Guide To Moisture Control”.

1. Why is moisture a problem in the first place?

Dampness is the presence of unwanted and excessive moisture in buildings. This can lead to the growth of mold, fungi, and bacteria; the release of volatile organic compounds; and the breakdown of building materials,” as defined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

Also, according to NIOSH and the CDC, research studies have shown that exposures to building dampness and mold have been associated with respiratory symptoms, asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, rhinosinusitis, bronchitis, and respiratory infections. In addition, individuals with asthma or hypersensitivity pneumonitis may be at risk for progression to more severe disease if the relationship between illness and exposure to the damp building is not recognized and exposures continue.

Dampness is obviously a major problem in buildings and other structures, however, HVLS fans are a highly effective solution that will help prevent a wide range of annoying and often costly moisture issues.

2. A 5-blade HVLS fan design reduces moisture better.

Look closely at both the Entrematic Fans C-Class (commercial) and I-Class (industrial) HVLS fans and you’ll notice that they share one common design trait. That’s our unique patent-pending 5-blade design.

Based on careful engineering, along with their unique blade profiles, 5-blade HVLS fans from Entrematic Fans will produce plenty of powerful airflow to combat the detrimental effects of moisture or dampness. In addition, the 5-blade design:

Provides just the right amount of separation between the blades to improve airflow.

Effectively draws in and moves the air at a slower versus faster RPM which allows the trailing blade to pass through air that is undisturbed, or non-turbulent.

Reduces the level of acoustic sound from the fan as the blades cut through the air.

3. The right placement makes a huge difference.

If one of the cardinal rules of selling real estate is “location, location, location”, so too is the proper placement of your HVLS fans. Whether you have one HVLS fan or multiple fans, they won’t provide the solution you need to combat dampness and moisture unless they’re properly placed in the right locations in your facility. While every facility has unique airflow challenges, structures of all shapes and sizes often face a variety of simultaneous air movement issues that require different solutions.

Entrematic Fans specialists are experts at helping to determine the best combination of fan size, placement, and even how many fans you need to create the optimal solution for moving air to combat moisture problems in your business or facility. In addition, Entrematic Fans’ engineering mindset offers a big advantage.

Looking at your needs from an engineering perspective will help you understand what will work best for your application. All structures have different designs, building methods, as well as floor and ceiling obstructions that contribute to changing airflow patterns that dictate where fans can be located.

4. Moisture can be a problem all year around due to a variety of reasons.

Dampness and excess moisture issues are not necessarily seasonal events, or even the result of varying temperatures alone.

When spaces are cooled during the summer months, they tend to react much differently than when heated during the winter months in colder areas. Plus, when outside air enters an environment due to doors that are constantly opening and closing throughout the year, your interior spaces will react differently.

And this, of course, all depends on a variety of factors, including humidity levels, inside and outside temperatures, the thickness of concrete slabs, your insulation R-value and the types of ceiling material used.

5. The need to combat moisture is everywhere.

Warehouses and distribution centers with loading docks that are constantly subjected to outdoor weather extremes are ideal applications for HVLS fans to help dry out wet floors. So too are high moisture environments such as breweries. Learn more in this informative and educational video from the 2017 Brewers Association Craft Brewers Conference about how HVLS fans can help eliminate moisture in both manufacturing and customer-facing environments in that industry.

For proper moisture control and to combat annoying dampness issues in your business or facility, remember that sufficient air movement with HVLS fans will tirelessly work hard to keep your spaces and environments much dryer, healthier and safer.

Commitment to Service

We’re committed to ensuring you love your fan for years to come. Our fan specialists are just an email or phone call away.